Complied by Holly Dayton’13, Lens Section Editor

Every year, the Scroll runs a series of college essays written by the graduating

seniors. This year’s seniors are a very talented class who are leaving CCDS to go to colleges all over (and even out of) the country. This is the college entrance essay of Ilana Habib, a former chief photographer for the Scroll, who will be attending MIT this fall. Ilana wrote a series of responses to questions given, and therefore wrote a series of short essays.

Ilana’s Prompts and Essays:

We know you lead a busy life, full of activities, many of which are required of you. Tell us about something you do simply for the pleausre of it.

My mother has a severe aversion to “Wet Willies”, defn: the act of licking one’s finger and inserting it into the ear of another individual. Thus, one of my most valued pastimes is lovingly bestowing her with a constant supply of them. My family is dear to me and I would never want to see my mother lacking something that is so clearly a cherished part of her everyday life. The Habib family likes to have a good time. If that involves putting saliva in each other’s ears, so be it.

What attribute of your personality are you most proud or, and how has it impacted your life thus far? This could be your creativity, effective leadership, sense of humor, integrity, or anything else you’d like to tell us about.

I fidget. No, not the tap your foot, twiddle your thumbs kind of fidget, the “Oh my gosh, I have to do any and everything that catches my interest” kind of fidget. This is perhaps better explained by saying that I am a Gemini. And an ENFP*. It’s a deadly combo. While it’s great that I am always striving to do more, it can sometimes be exhausting to be incapable of sitting still. I have so many interests that I end up trying to get involved in everything, and while sometimes it seems like there is too much on my plate, I’d rather be involved than disconnected from my community. Call me vivacious. If it catches my eye, I will run it down, catch it, study it, and never let it go. It is “fidgeting” that first brought me to photography and consequently the defining passion on my life (Have you ever counted how many buttons are on a DSLR? It’s incredible). I love cars, comic books, fashion, and pop culture. I’m not your average nerd. I have an RSS feed from Perez Hilton in my inbox right alongside the one from Engadget. It’s not that I don’t like committing

to one thing, I just like to keep all my options open.

*Meyers-Briggs Personality Type: Extrovert iNtuition Feeling Perception

Describe the world you come from; for example, your family, clubs, school, community, city or town. How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations?

One of the things I’ve really appreciated about my education is how

my school is not interested in producing cookie-cutter students. I have attended Cincinnati Country Day School for the last five years, and it’s unlikely I would be anywhere near as successful a human being without the support of the incredible faculty. At CCDS, we are taught how to think, not what to think. I have learned not to limit my expectations and to pursue those goals that may be difficult but are worthy. My teachers are my friends and confidantes, and we often shake hands with our headmaster when we walk into school (unless it’s swine flu season in which case we get a wave)

Each summer from third to eleventh grade I have pursued the same kind of learning experience at the Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth. At WCATY, it is cool to be smart. There is something to be said for a group of kids that learns for the joy of discovery and supports differences among their peers. Whether discussing the validity of Thomas Jefferson’s use of the Embargo Act or playing Spoons in a dorm lounge, my friends and I always found that WCATY was both an academically and socially enriching experience. After all, what good are two truths and a lie if you don’t mention which indie comic book publisher or president is your favorite?

Tell us about the most significant challenge you’ve faced or something important that didn’t go according to plan. How did you manage the situtaion?

Uno. One. Dos. Two. Tres. Three. And the swings keep creaking. The scent of black beans

hangs in the sticky air. It is in this moment that the only thing that matters is getting your toes as close as possible to that sunless sky. Last summer I spent hours on a swing set, teaching underprivileged orphans in Costa Rica about art (and how to count in English). The Exposure Grant is what allows these moments to happen. For the last four years, I have been involved with an initiative that provides abandoned children with an emotional outlet through photography. Working with kids that have emotional (and sometimes physical) scars can be challenging; however the payoff is well worth it.

When I was a sophomore in high school, I started to get involved in my school newspaper, The Scroll. I had been interested in photography for a few years, and the editors of The Scroll decided that they needed to add some visual spark to their pages. Thus, I was recruited. In the span of a few months I changed from an isolated freshman to Cincinnati Country Day School’s biggest fan. As I began to develop more roots within the community, I realized that the force behind my evolution into a social creature was photography.

Cameras made me take a second look at the world around me. In reexamining my surroundings through a lens, I became more willing to take risks and interact with new people. My ability to express my ideas and emotions grew at an exponential rate. It is this growth that the Exposure Grant has allowed me to share with other children. While it is a struggle to break through the pre-conceived notions we have of our surrounds and remove emotional barriers to the development of community ties, the ability to connect with others is invaluable.

Getting

to witness the dramatic change in a child’s perception is an incredible gift. My junior year, I had the opportunity to interact with kids my own age at the Cincinnati Children’s Home. These kids had been kicked out of the public school system because of emotional and behavioral problems, but at the Children’s Home they were given the opportunity to still get an education while participating in a partial-hospitalization program. While some kids were skeptical about getting involved in art, it was inspiring to see teens that had never gotten much encouragement in anything before become so enthralled in the idea of a camera. As most of the students had been in foster homes for the majority of their childhoods, they lacked a visual record of their existence. Giving them pictures of themselves allowed for a better formation of identity and personal image. In using these pictures, we then have been able to share the stories of people that the system has failed. It is my mission to try and fill some of the cracks that these kids keep falling through. That is my challenge.

Photo courtesy of people.csail.mit.edu